Planter frame and adjusting means therefor



July 22, 1941. I c. w. MICHAEL 9 9 PLANTER FRAME AND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR I Filed Apri'i 13,. 1940' iTED srrs PLANTER FRAIHE AND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Clement W. Michael, Racine, Via, assignor to The Massey-Harris Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Maryland Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,504

Claims. (Cl. 97-236) The present invention relates to the convening the structure of the planter in any way but by tional type of corn planter having a main frame adding three braces as will hereinafter appear. and supporting wheels on opposite sides thereof To these and other useful ends, myinvention and a narrow transverse frame pivotally mounted consists of parts, combinations of parts or their on the front end of the main frame, the trans- 5 equivalents, as hereinafter described and claimed verse frame having longitudinally extending, and shown in the accompanying drawing in centrally positioned supporting means and other which:

appurtenances which are usual in planters of Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conthe type. ventional planter equipped with my invention,

In planters of the type, the runners are spaced the near wheel being removed.

apart at whatever distance the rows are desired Figure 2 is a top plan view of the planter as and the wheels are positioned on the axle so shown in Figure 1 less the depth regulating lever they follow the runners and act to press the and its connection to the transverse frame. soil over the seed planted. As thus illustrated, reference character A des- One of the disadvantages inherent in planters ignates, in its entirety, a main frame and referof the type is brought about by the fact that ence character B designates, in its entirety, a

the forward end of the main frame and the transtransverse frame. Numeral I0 designates the verse frame are supported either by a pole or side and rear members of a frame and H desigother means which are transversely centrally ponates a supporting axle being preferably rotasitioned. The frames are inherently weak and tably mounted on the frame by means of bearsince they are supported from three points, the ings l2-l2 and having mounted near their ends, transverse frame is not held rigidly in parallel wheels l3-l3. Wheels I 3 are adjustable longirelation to the axle, therefore the runners seltudinally on axle II for purposes which will dom penetrate the soil at the same depth. hereinafter appear.

An effort has been made in the past to remedy I provide a transverse frame member M which the inherent trouble in conventional planters by acts to stiffen the frame and hold the front ends mounting a gauge wheel on each of the runners. of the frame bars in spaced alignment. A seat This, however, is not satisfactory because con- I5 is provided for an operator and is slidably venient means cannot be provided for changing mounted on the horizontal rear ends of braces the depth of the runners. For example, in pass- Iii-l6 as is the custom in planters of the type. ing over a portion of the field having light soil, The forward ends of members It are secured it may be desired to plant considerably deeper to member I4 preferably as illustrated. These than when passing over heavier soil in some members are preferably positioned in spaced reother part of the field. Therefore it is desired lation. I provide braces lB-I8 which are sethat the depth of the runners at all times be cured to the frame as at Iii-I9, the braces conunder the immediate control of the operator, verging and being secured to members I6 as at preferably through a single lever. 28. Seat [5 is secured to members Hi by a suit- When one runner is inclined to penetrate deepable pad and a bolt 2|. er, the other runner moves out of the soil ac- Transverse frame B consists of spaced parallel cordingly because the transverse frame is largely 40 bars -30 secured together at their ends by supported at its center and the main frame is means of brackets 3l-3l, these brackets being not rigid enough to prevent this twisting moveprovided with necessary appurtenances for operment. Clearly it is apparent that a conventional ating the planting mechanism through a linked corn planter possesses an inherent defect and one wire as is the custom in planters of the type.

which is not easily overcome. The cost of a Spaced brackets 32-32 are secured to members frame having sufficient strength to prevent torand pivotally mounted on the forward ends of sional movement would be prohibitive. frame If! as at 33-33. Apair of runner boots 34 I provide means at a very low cost to elimiis transversely adjustably mounted on members nate the inherent weakness of planters of the 38 as is the custom in planters of the type. These type and at the same time provide means where- 59 members carry runners 35, the forward ends beby the frame may be adjusted after it has been ing secured to the front member 30 by means of assembled in order to bring the runners in paralbraces 36-36. lel alignment with the axle and permanently hold Hoppers 37-3! are mounted in any suitable them in this position. manner on the top of boots 34. A pole 40 or an I accomplish the desired results without changequivalent is provided and is adapted preferably to carry a double tree near its rear and a neck yoke at its front end. Thus when the planter is adapted to be pulled by a team of horses, pole 40 is secured to the forward frame member 30 by means of brackets 4! l|, the rear member 30 being secured to the pole by brackets 4242. These rear brackets are provided with a slotted opening so the runners may be tilted longitudinally as to their position relative to the pole.

It is the custom to provide pole braces 43 which are preferably secured to the transverse frame adjacent brackets 32. Brackets 4| may also be slotted similar to brackets 42 or they may be provided with a series of apertures so as to cooperate with brackets 42 for adjusting the angle of the runners relative to the pole.

I provide a bracket 44 on the rear end of the pole having a link 65 which is pivotally connected to a forward extension of lever 46. Assuming that the forward end of the pole is fixed in its height, the operator may manipulate this lever and change the depth of the planting or the depth runners 35 will penetrate the ground.

In some planters, it is the custom to provide a stub pole (not shown), for a connection to a tractor draw bar or to a depth wheel or fore truck (not shown). In either event, it will be seen by scrutinizing the drawing that unless some means is provided for preventing it, the depth of the two runners may not always be the same.

When the frame is first assembled, if may not, in fact generally does not, hold the runners at the same height relative to wheels i3. I provide means for stiffening the frame and for regulating the position of the runners in the following manner:

A brace 50 at one end is secured preferably to the rear end of the left side member of frame Ill and extends to the other side member to a point preferably near the axle and is secured thereto as illustrated in Figure 2. Thus the side members of the frame will be held from moving longitudinally relative to the each other.

I provide brace members 5l5l, their forward ends being secured to the frame members preferably as at 5252. Brace members 5| converge upwardly and rearwardly and are secured to members I6 at the point where members I8 are attached or directly in front of this position.

I provide means for adjusting the length of braces 5! preferably by means of turn buckles 5353. It will be seen that in view of brace 50, supporting members [S and members M and I5, that by adjusting the turn buckles 53, the sides of member l may be moved to and held in exactly the position required to maintain the runners 35 at the same height relative to the wheels.

Let it be assumed that'when the planter has been assembled, it is found that the left hand runner is lower than the right hand runner. All that is necessary to remedy this is to tighten the left hand brace i and loosen the right hand brace. Thus it will be seen that the runners may be quickly and easily adjusted so they penetrate the soil at equal depths and when the adjustment is once made, the frame will hold them to this adjustment under all conditions of field work and that the operator may adjust the depth of the runners by manipulating the lever provided for the purpose.

Clearly I have provided adjusting and bracing means which may be applied to any planter of the class or to planters equipped with any style of transversely centrally positioned front supporting means. It will be understood that the adjusting means in one of braces 5| may be dispensed with and when the planter is pulled by a tractor, seat I5 may be dispensed with. Obviously many minor detail changes in the planter or bracing and adjusting means may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as recited in the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. A planter of the class described, comprising a main frame having side members and transversely spaced carrying wheels mounted thereon a distance from the front ends thereof, a relatively narrow elongated transverse frame hingedly secured to the front end of said side members and having a single forwardly positioned carrying means midway its length, manually operated means associated with said frames and carrying means adapted to raise or lower said transverse frame, means for permanently locking said side members against forward or rearward movement relative to each other, a transverse brace member positioned between said side members near the front thereof, an operators seat positioned in rear of the vertical plane of the axis of said wheels and a distance above said frame having a forwardly and downwardly extending brace secured to said transverse brace midway the length thereof, supporting brace members secured to said forwardly extending brace near its rear end each extending downwardly and outwardly, the lower ends secured to said side members, positioning members their rear ends secured to apexes formed by said supporting braces, their front ends beingsecured to said side members a distance ahead of the axis of said wheels, one or each of said positioning members having length adjusting means whereby the front ends of said. side members may be adjusted topredetermined elevations relative to the axis of said wheels.

2. A planter of the class described, comprising a main frame having side and rear frame bar members, means adapted to hold the front. ends of said frame side bar members in spaced relation, an axle having spaced carrying wheels mounted on said frame, upwardly and inwardly extending rear braces having their lower ends secured to the side bars of said frame and being secured together at their upper ends, upwardly and inwardly extending front braces securedat their lower ends to the side bars of saidframe and a considerable distance from the lower first brace fastenings, their upper ends being secured to the upper ends of said rear braces, means on said frame adapted to hold said side frame bars from moving longitudinally relative to each other.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 including; at least one of said front braces having length adjusting means. a

4. A device as recited in claim 2 including; a front frame bar member, a brace bar secured to the upper ends of said rear and front brace and extending forwardly and downwardly and being secured to said front frame bar.

5. A planter of the class described, comprising a main frame having side members and transversely spaced carrying wheels mounted thereon a distance from the front ends thereof, a relatively narrow elongated transverse frame hingedly secured to the front ends of said side members and having a forwardly extending carrying means midway its length, manually operated means associated with said frame and carrying means adapted to raise or lower said transverse frame, means for permanently locking said side members downwardly and outwardly and being secured to said side members forming an apex anchoring point, positioning braces having their rear ends secured to said apex their front ends being secured to said side members a distance ahead of the axis of said Wheels, one or each of said positioning members having length adjusting means whereby the front ends of said side members may be adjusted at predetermined elevations rela- 10 tive to the axis of said wheels.

CLEMENT W. MICHAEL. 

